Third Degree
by Bronski
Summary: When May left the house for a while, leaving Misty & Ash alone, Misty used the chance to get Ash to admit (or realise) his crush on May. Will Ash realise it? Will he be able to tell her? Will she return the feelings? AdvanceShipping?


******(A/N):** Welcome to my very first FF. While _Friends to Spouses_ was published earlier, this was written first. The reason was that after I finished writing, I considered the idea of turning this into a two-shot. But that was after I started writing _Friends to Spouses._ I hadn't completely scrapped the idea of a two-shot, but you, as the reader, will get to decide. Just express your opinion either by review or PM, I'm fine with either.

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In the small town of Pallet, a landmark existed in the form of a house. The house itself wasn't unique; it was simply a small, ordinary house with two storeys. There were no eye-catching sights in the house. What made the house a landmark was the occupant. The house was where the Vertress Conference winner and the pride of Pallet Town had resided for his life of 20 years, although the latter half was mostly spent by journeying around the world.

There were currently three people inside the house, the victor and his two friends. One of them, a gym leader, was taking a vacation and was staying at the house for the week while the other one was a traveling companion of the resident. Both he and his companion were unwinding after the victory in the Conference.

The companion, a brunette, was in her bedroom as she was dressing and brushing her hair. She gazed at the mirror to check her appearance. After she was satisfied, she then strolled down the stairway. As she was walking through the living room, she spotted a man with spiky jet-black hair and a redheaded woman sitting on the couch happily chatting and joking as they watched the television. The man occasionally made teasing remarks about the woman, which earned him a playful hit on the arm from her. Laughter were heard from them afterwards. Both of them either looked like they were best friends, siblings or... a couple. Their interactions were heartwarming, which caused her to smile.

The brunette was now standing behind her two friends. "I'm going out for grocery shopping. Do any of you want to come?" she asked cheerfully. "Or maybe you want me to buy something?" The voice came as a slight surprise to them. They turned their head to the source and relaxed as soon as they determined the source to be a person familiar to them.

"No thanks, May. I'm not in the mood to be outside so I'll just stay here. Sorry about that. But could you get me some soft drinks?" The man responded with a low voice, as he was a little exhausted from the training session during the day.

"I'll stay. This little boy needs company."

"Hey! Who are you calling a little boy!" The redhead let out a loud chortle and a muffed chuckle was heard from May.

"Grow up Ash," the redhead uttered. "No need to get worked up over such small things."

"Humph."

"Ash, you're tired. Relax," May said soothingly. Ash felt that his anger was slowly dissolving. _Was this because of her_, he thought. He glanced at her once more and she was beaming. Her cordial smile and cool blue eyes were washing away all his rage.

"Thanks a lot, May! You know how much she ticks me off."

"Say no more, Ash. I'm always glad to help you."

She went to the door and waved her hand at her two friends as she greeted them goodbye. The door was closed gently after she exited the house. After taking her bicycle from the garage, she cruised towards the grocery store.

After May was out of their sights, an evil smirk was visible on the redhead's face as glanced at the man. Seeing her face, he sighed, not liking anything she was about to do. It had always meant trouble when she smirked. He grabbed a glass from the table and took a sip.

"So Ash, you got any girlfriend?" she asked in a singsong voice. The question startled Ash, causing him to spit the drink that was inside his mouth. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. The question came out of the blue. He wished that his mind were only playing tricks with him. The consequence of very intensive training, perhaps? He stared blankly at the woman, hinting that he wasn't listening carefully so she repeated the question again. By now, Ash was sure what he heard was real.

"W-what was that Misty?" His response only served to frustrate the redhead. Misty then pulled her patented mallet out of thin air and was ready to swing it at Ash. His face displayed a look of fear and he kneeled before her, pleading for her to stop frantically. As she put her mallet away, he began to spoke, albeit with stutters.

"G-girlfriend? W-why should I g-get one?"

Misty grew even more frustrated with Ash's reluctance to get a girlfriend. "For Arceus' sake you're 20!" The deafening voice of hers was causing him to tightly seal both his ears with his hands as winced. "Dawn's only 16 and she has Paul and I'm with Gary! Even the most hopeless of us all, Brock, has one. It seems that the only ones in our group who is still single are you and May." She grinned after making the implication; she hoped that it would trigger a reaction from him. However, it seemed that Misty had underestimated Ash's denseness, as his expression hadn't changed.

"Even if you don't have one I bet you have a crush on someone. Maybe Melody? Bianca? Or maybe-" The look on Misty's face had more evil than any face Ash had ever seen. He didn't want to hear any word that comes out of her mouth after this. "May!"

Ash spoke in a calm and composed manner, not wanting to cause any more trouble. "Melody's kiss was a welcome kiss, a tradition, that doesn't mean that I'm special. As for Bianca's kiss, we were running out of time when we were at the boat so she doesn't have time to thank me for rescuing Latias. It was simply a thank you kiss. Nothing more. And I think you overthought about May. Have you ever seen her kiss me?" Misty admitted that Ash has a point but she wasn't going to concede defeat. Never. She would never lose a fight easily. She swore that she would break through his thick skull.

"You've been traveling around the world for 10 years now. I'm sure you've met a lot of girls. Are you sure you don't have a crush on any of them?"

"I was too busy training for my battles for that." Misty realised that Ash won't actively speak so she decided to change tactics.

"So what do you think of May?"

"Well she's one of my closest friends and she's a nice person to be around with."

"Why is it nice to be around her?"

"Err… it just seems comfortable when I'm with her. She's always smiling and cheerful. Her smile is infectious. There was always this urge to smile back at her when she smiles. I mean her smile is very pretty."

Misty was satisfied with his response; it was typical of a love-struck boy. There was one thing that she didn't understand. Was Ash in denial or was he genuinely clueless about his crush? It was insignificant, however. She was getting closer and closer to getting Ash to either admit or realise it. Now all she had to do was to push him harder and harder until there was no escape.

"What would you say if she has to leave you?" Ash went silent for a few moments, thinking about the question before answering.

"Of course I would be very sad. Who wouldn't be when one of their closest friends leaves them? May was always there to cheer me for my battle."

The questioning session lasted for over an hour, an hour of hell for Ash. Misty continued bombarding him relentlessly with questions about May such as how he felt about his adventures in Hoenn with her. She was constantly yelling at him while occasionally grabbing him by his shirt. He had experienced what criminals experienced when being questioned by Officer Jenny and he was definitely not enjoying it. Ash wondered if he had done something to anger Arceus.

"You know Ash, after everything you've said about May, it's obvious to anyone that you have a crush on her."

"Really?" Ash asked with a confused expression, not believing in Misty's words. "Are you sure you're not mistaking our very close friendship with a crush?"

"Definitely! I've never heard anyone spoke like that about a friend, no matter how close they are. Take Gary and you for example. You've been as close as brothers for I don't know how long and yet you don't seem to mind as much when he left you to do research. Trust me Ash you are closer to her than any other people including me, your first companion." Ash felt that he might've hurt Misty's feelings after hearing her last sentence.

"You see other than her traveling companion I'm also her mentor so I have to be close to her to see how she's doing while both Dawn or you are only my companions so I would not mind if you are doing your own thing. One more thing, I'm sorry if I'm not as close to you as her." He expected for Misty to be furious, but to his surprise, she laughed.

"No need to apologise. You were closer to her than me. That's exactly the point! You only see me as a friend and sister while you see her as more than that." After her laughter went down she sighed. "You're already 20, Ash. How clueless can you be? I thought you would've grown up by now?"

"But I am growing!" Ash whined. "Look at my height now! I'm not that short, am I?" Misty tried her best to resist facing her head down and place her palm on her face. She was getting impatient but convinced herself that patience would eventually be rewarded.

"Ash, how are you going to get a girlfriend when you're as clueless as this?"

"Misty, you're my friend and you're like a sister to me. But, that doesn't mean you can mess with my life like this!" As Ash yelled at Misty, the door opened to reveal May, who was carrying several bags, and she was panting. She looked rather exhausted after shopping. Seeing her state, Ash walked to her and offered to carry the bags, which she happily accepted. May thanked Ash and immediately walked to the living room and sat on the couch to recover her energy while Ash went to the dining table to put the bags and returned to the living room.

"So Ash, what were you and Misty talking about while I was away?"

Misty wondered if Ash would lie to prevent his crush from being revealed. If Ash decided to tell the truth, what will May do? What if she doesn't return the feelings? Would Ash be heartbroken?

"This annoying redhead keep pestering me with talks of getting a girlfriend." Ash complained as he pointed at Misty.

"Misty," May said. "You're unsettling him. Let him have control over his own love life. I know it's nice to help, but this isn't the right way."

"But May, I don't want him to be alone! He deserves a woman by his side."

"I wouldn't worry much about that, he's a very kind man, I'm sure he won't stay alone forever." Faint red marks on both sides of May's cheeks, which didn't escape Misty's sight. "Also, a handsome man like him would be sure to attract girls." Misty thought that this could be a hint that May liked Ash. This could be their chance, his days as a single man would be nearing its end. Misty was glad and proud that a man that she had always treated as a little boy was finally growing.

Ash left the couch where he had been sitting for the past several hours. He yelled, "Goodnight, May & Misty!"

"Goodnight, Ash!" both of them replied.

Ash left the living room and headed upstairs. He turned his head back, and saw May walking towards him. He stopped and waited for her. As they went across the hallway, a door with her name posted on it was seen. She skipped past her room and continued following him. Ash was aware that he wasn't heading towards his room alone, he made no complaints or questions, however.

When the pair arrived in front of Ash's room, he retrieved a key from his pocket, and slotted it inside the keyhole and unlocked the door. After he closed the door, May took out her nightwear, which solely consisted of a crimson red nightgown and entered the bathroom to take a warm and rejuvenating bath. Meanwhile, Ash switched the television on and browsed through the channels, not having any particular programme to watch.

Half an hour later, May appeared wearing her nightgown that emphasised her natural beauty. Ash couldn't help but stare at the woman that was right before him. The azure blue eyes and chestnut hair were stunning. Her long legs and ample chest also don't go unnoticed. After seeing Ash's face, May simply smiled and giggled then gestured Ash to take a shower. He rushed to the bathroom, feeling embarrassed after being caught staring.

10 minutes had passed since Ash entered the bathroom. The bathroom door opened and he emerged with a blue boxer and a white wife beater. His well-defined torso could be seen beneath the wife beater, a decade of intensive training was sure to result in such a body. He went his bed and lied down with his chest facing the ceiling. The bed was unusually large, it seemed that it was designed to fit two people. There were 2 pairs of pillows, each were stacked neatly and they were next to each other.

May was sitting on a chair as she was staring at a photo that was inside her purse, a photo that was shot a year ago. It depicted a black haired man dressed in a tuxedo holding a brown haired woman who was wearing a white dress at her shoulders and under her knees as he carried her. Her lips were attached to one of his cheeks while the man was grinning, as a faint blush was evident on his face. May's smile grew as she looked at the photo. A photo, which illustrated the memories of one of the best days of her life, better than the day she won the Sinnoh Grand Festival. No words could describe the sense of elation felt during that day. She then strolled towards the sole bed in the room and slept next to Ash, resting her head on his shoulders. He didn't mind it at all. In fact, he welcomed it and turned his body towards her and wrapped his arm around her chest.

"Ash, it's a shame we can only act like best friends in front of them. No holding hands or pecking. Even hugs are limited to friendly ones." A complaining tone could be heard as she mentioned it.

"True, but admit it May, it's fun when it's only between us. Well, our parents would have to know but at least they agreed to keep it to themselves."

The beam on May's face grew wider and she let out a small chuckle. "You're right! I wonder what our friends would say when they realise you're no longer as dense as you claim to be."

"May, do you remember what happened 5 years ago?"

"Of course I do! It was when I rejoined you on your journey and we've been together ever since."

"In more ways than one." May couldn't restrain from letting the laugh that Ash loved very much. However, she was growing tired of keeping her relationship with Ash a secret.

"When will they know?"

"Soon. Gary told me that he would be proposing to Misty at the party next month. After he proposed, we'll spill it. I would love to see his face when I defeat him once again. What do you think?"

"Perfect, Ashy! I can't wait to see everyone's reactions!"

"Finally, I could get it over with! Acting like a clueless kid for over 5 years is not an easy job. And Misty will not bother me anymore!"

Yawning, Ash was ready to close his eyes and enter his dreams. However, just as his eyes closed, he felt a warm and soft sensation on his lips. Curious, he opened his eyes to see May's face in front of him, with her lips pressing against his and her eyes shut. It was a delicacy, her luscious lips tasted sweeter than anything Ash had ever tasted. He closed his eyes again and their lips were glued for several minutes.

As their lips parted, a smile was seen on May's face. However, this smile wasn't her usual innocent and sweet smile, this smile was eerily similar to the smile Misty wore earlier. She went to the side of his head and whispered sultrily, "Don't sleep just yet, dear. Why don't we do what we usually do?"

"B-but there's Misty downstairs! W-what if she could hear it? You're always loud when we're doing it."

"I'll try to keep it down." The tone of her voice changed, from an alluring one to taunting one. Both her hands were brushing against his chest, with her fingers slowly tickling it. Her lips were now on his ears, gently touching it as she whispered, "Or are you afraid… Mr. Champion?"

May spent the next few minutes seducing her beloved husband, whispering teasing words to his ears. The warm breath of hers was felt by his ears and causing him to shudder. Her head left his ears and moved to his neck as she gave a light and loving bite on his neck, which caused Ash to whimper. Kisses were peppered affectionately around the upper part of his body. Neck, forehead, cheeks, ears, eyebrows, and more. Her slick tongue was brushing lightly against his ears; the sensation resulted in a shuddering Ash. He was unable to stop her amorous advances; his body was under her constant onslaught. As time passes, her seduction began to take effect, his resistance slowly lowered as his own lust grew until it dissipated completely. He had lost the battle; he had surrendered to his wife's desires.

A fair amount of voice was let by May as they were performing their activity. Ash had tried his best to calm her down, but ultimately failed. He was slightly worried that the noise they made could be heard by Misty, it would reveal their relationship. Fortunately, Misty was still in the living room watching the television with a rather loud volume as she was laughing wildly, it was barely heard by both Ash & May, although Ash doubted that his wife had heard it, as she was too focused on what they were doing. Ash let out a sigh of relief; the noise level wouldn't have to be suppressed to the degree he expected, as suppressing it would significantly reduce the pleasure they experienced during the activity.

The activity lasted for slightly over an hour, it was exhausting for both of them. However, the satisfaction and pleasure gained from it was more than a reward. Moreover, the exhaustion helped them sleep easier. Ash was sleeping with his limbs stretched, taking most of the bed's space. This, didn't trouble May however, as she slept on his stretched body, with her dainty arms tightly wrapped around his chest and lips barely touching his chin.

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**(A/N):** You thought that it was going to be a typical "Ash realises his feelings then confess" story? I'm not a fan of confession one-shots or two-shots and hence, I will not write them.

The content for the second and final chapter (if you decided that there will be a second chapter) is the party, where Ash & May will reveal their marriage to their friends.

If you wanted me to write it, I will, but don't expect it to be published soon. I will complete _Friends to Spouses _and take a short break from writing (about a month). So the second chapter will be published in about 6 months.

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The vote was unanimous so I'll write the second chapter, which is about the party. However, like I said, I will complete Friends to Spouses before writing the second chapter.


End file.
